Thread-retainer for sewing-machines.



No. 772,423. PATENTED OCT. 18, 1904.

W. A. MACK.

THREAD RETAINER FOR SEWING MAGHINESC APPLICATION FILED r1113. 5. 1891.

NO MODEL.

' 2 sums-sum 1.

I d I w I! H 1 I J 0 9 E I .7? i1 o Z2 1 w. A. MACK. THREAD RETAINER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION YILED FEB. 5, 1891.

N0 MODEL.

PATENTED OCT. 18,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I No. 772,423.

.UNITED STATES Patented October 18, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. MACK, OF NORVVALK, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE STANDARD SEWING MACHINE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

THREAD-RETAINER FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 772,423, dated October 18, 1904.

Application filed February 5, 1891. Serial No. 380,304. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. MACK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Norwalk, county of Huron, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thread-Retainers for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specifica: tion.

In the operation of that class of sewing-machines employing a rotary or oscillating shuttle in which a relatively large loop of needlethread is drawn below the work-plate by the shuttle during the stitch-forming operation it frequently happens at thecommencement of the sewing operation that the loose end of the needle-thread is drawn below the work-plate by the shuttle as the latter expands the first loop thrown out by the needle, in which event the formation of a stitch is of course prevented. To avoid this, it is the usual practice for v whereby the thread will be caused to draw through the eye of the needle and thereafter release the thread prior to the operation of the feed and take-up. This object I attain by means of the novel features of construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter set forth in detail, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which I have illustrated only so much of a sewing-machine as is necessary to illustrate inven-.

tion, Figure 1 is a plan View with the needleplate removed of a part of a sewing-machine having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a front end elevation of the same with the bed-plate in section through line 2 2 of Fig.

1. Fig. 3 is an under side view of the same.

Fig. 4 is a detail of one of the thread-retainer actuating devices. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the thread-retainer and its actuating devices. shuttle-race frame with the thread-retainer in operative position thereon and illustrates the said retainer holding the loose end of the needle-thread. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the Fig. 6 is a perspective viewof the shuttle-race frame with the thread-retainer re- 7 and operation as the corresponding parts found in said machine, these parts comprising the work-plate A, the feed B, the shuttle O, the shuttle-race frame D, and the shuttle-driving shaft K.

In accordance with my present invention a thread-retainer (indicated generally by H) is slidingly supported upon the upper surface of the frame D within a grooved guideway 03 thereon and is provided with a laterally-projecting arm h for cooperating at stated in: tervals with a stationary bearing-surface d to grip and hold the inner side of the needlethread loop in a manner to be hereinafter referred to, the said bearing-surface 61 being formed in the present case by one of the Walls of the needle-opening in the said frame D. At one end thereof the retainer H is formed with an extension 7112, having a hookshaped end loosely connected with a vibrating member I, pivotally mounted upon a shaft J at the under side of the work-plate, the said vibrating member being actuated from a cam or eccentric 70 on the rotating driving-shaft K through the medium of a connecting pitrnan-rod k. In cooperating with the stationary bearing-surface d it is desirable that the retainer should engage the thread with a yielding or spring pressure. In order to pro- Vide for this, a spring 7& is located upon the retainer extension if between a shoulder thereon and the vibrating member I, as most clearly shown. in Fig. 3, which serves as a cushion between said parts to permit an independent movement of the vibrating member relative to the retainer and cause the latter to grip and hold the thread with a spring-pressure. As a means to holdv the thread-retainer in its position in the guideway (Z on the shuttlerace frame a screw (Z is connected with the latter in a position with its head overlapping the said retainer, as shown.

The operation of my invention is as follows:v When the machine is set in operation, the needle descends and throws out a loop of thread to be entered by the shuttle in the usual manner. The inner side of the thread-loop thus formed projects into a position opposite the adjacent bearing-surface (Z as shown in Fig. 5. At this time and before the loop is expanded by the shuttle the retainer H is operated to slide longitudinally upon the frame D into aposition to cooperate with the surface (Z to grip the interposed thread and hold the same With a spring-pressure while the shuttle continues to pass through and expand the loop, as shown in Fig. 6, the thread for said loop being drawn through the eye of the needle. Thereafter and prior to the action of the feedand take-up the retainer will be operated to release the thread, such alternate thread-gripping and thread-releasing action of the retainer taking place at such stated intervals as not to interfere with the proper formation of the stitches.

Having thus set forth my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a sewing-machine, the combination,

- With the reciprocating needle, of a shuttlerace frame provided With a bearing-surface adjacent to the path of said needle, and a reciprocating thread-retainer supported to slide longitudinally upon the upper surface of the frame and cooperate with said bearing-surface at stated intervals to grip the interposed needle-thread, the said frame being provided on its upper Wall with guiding means for said thread-retainer.

2. In a sewing-machine, the combination,

' ciprocating thread-retainer supported to slide longitudinally upon the upper surface of the frame and cooperate With said bearing-surface at stated intervals to grip the interposed needle-thread, the said frame being provided on its upper wall with a grooved guideway for said sliding threadretainer.

3. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with the reciprocating needle, of a. shuttlerace frame provided with a bearing-surface adjacent to the path of said needle, and a re ciprocating thread-retainer supported to slide longitudinally upon the upper surface of the frame and cooperate with said bearing-surface at stated intervals to grip the interposed needle-thread, the said frame being provided with a guideway for said thread-retainer and with means for overlapping and retaining the latter slidingly therein.

4. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with the reciprocating needle, of a. shuttlerace frame provided with a bearing-surface adjacent to the path of said needle, a reciprocating thread-retain or supported to slide upon the upper surface of the frame and coi'iperate with said bearing-surface at stated intervals, a vibrating member having a loose connection with said tln'ead-retainer and communicating a reciprocating movementthereto, and means for permitting an independent movement of the vibrating member relative to the threadretainer, for the purpose set forth.

5. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with the reciprocating needle, of a shuttlerace frame provided with a bearing-surface adjacent to the path of said needle, a reciprocating thread-retainer arranged to cofrperate with said bearing-surface at stated intervals, at 1 )ositively-acting vibrating member having a loose connection with said thread-retainer and communicating a reci procati ng movement thereto, and a spring carried by the threadretainer and forming a cushion between the same and the vibrating member, for the purpose set forth.

6. In a sewing-machine, the combinaiion, with the reciprocating needle, of a bearingsurface located adjacent to the path of said needle, a reciprocating thread retainer arranged to cooperate with said liearing-surface at stated intervals, a vibrating member having a loose connection with said threznl-retainer and communicating a reciprocating movement thereto, and means for permitting an independent movement of the vibrating member relative to the thread-retainer, for the purpose set forth.

\VILLIAi\l A. MACK.

Vitnesses: V V

EDWARD L. DAY, Geo. P. SMITH. 

